This invention relates to a printing configuration utility, and more particularly, to a double-sided printing configuration utility for a single-sided printer.
Many modern computer software programs allow the user to create double-sided projects. The vast majority of printers, however, do not provide the duplexing capability that is required to automatically print double-sided projects as part of their hardware configuration.
In order to simplify the process of printing a double-sided project on a single-sided non-duplexing printer, some software manufacturers have created double-sided printing utilities that aid the user in determining which way to manually flip and reinsert their project in order to properly orient the second side of the project on the reverse of the same sheet of paper.
FIG. 1 shows dialogues presented to the user by one of existing printing utilities, Corel Double Sided Printing Wizard (trademark). This printing utility leads the user through a sequence of steps involving the printing and reprinting of two test sheets and the answering of questions. Based on user""s answers, the printing utility determines what type of paper-feed mechanism is used by the user""s printer. This in turn allows the printing utility to provide instructions to the user, specific to the printer, as to how to properly flip and reinsert the pages in the printer for the successful printing of double-sided print jobs.
At box 2, the utility asks the user whether the user likes to enable or disable double-sided printing. When the user disables the double-sided printing, the utility asks the user at box 4 to select a printer that the user wants to disable. At box 6, the utility notifies the user of disablement of double-sided printing for the selected printer.
When the user enables double-sided printing, the utility asks the user at box 8 to select a printer that the user wants to enable. The utility prints two test pages on two test sheets at box 10. Each test page has a page indication indicating that it is a first or second page of the first printing, i.e., xe2x80x9cA1xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cA2xe2x80x9d. Each test page also has an arrow indicating a direction of insertion for reprinting later.
The utility asks the user whether the printed side is face down at box 12. If the printed side is face down, the utility asks the user to flip both pages stacked together at box 14.
When the printed side is face up at box 12 or after the printed pages are flipped at box 14, the utility asks the user at box 16 if the top page is the first page or the second page, i.e., A1 or A2.
The utility then asks the user at box 18 to reinsert the test pages face up for reprinting. The utility performs the second printing on the test pages. The second printing has a page indication indicating that it is a first or second page of the second printing, i.e.,xe2x80x9cB1xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cB2xe2x80x9d. The utility asks the user at box 20 to remove the test pages from the printer and answer whether the test sheets have printing on both sides.
If the test sheets have printing on both sides, the utility asks the user at box 22 to indicate the direction of the arrow. It further asks the user at box 24 to flip both test pages together horizontally, and to indicate which page the user sees, i.e., B1 or B2, and which direction the page is oriented.
If each of the test pages has printing on one side only at box 20, the utility presents pictures 30-37 representing possible printing as shown in FIG. 2. The utility asks the user at 26 to click on the picture 30-37 which matches the top page that the user sees.
Thus, the utility obtains all information necessary to configure double-sided jobs as indicated at box 28.
The problem with this scheme is that it depends on the printing of two sheets of paper, which must be flipped and/or rotated without changing their order prior to being reinserted into the printer for the second printing. For example, in FIG. 1, at box 14, the use may make an error of flipping the two test pages individually, rather than as a stack. At box 18, the user may make an error of reinserting the two test pages in a wrong order. Also, at box 24, the user may make an error of flipping the two test pages vertically, rather than horizontally. Furthermore, the entire procedure is lengthy and there are maximum of nine dialogues seen by the user after selecting the printer at box 8.
In this type of printing utilities that use two test sheets, the proper outcome of the test depends on the user""s ability to correctly interpret the flipping, rotation and reinsertion instructions provided by the printing utilities. Experience has shown that this can be a very confusing task for some users. If not properly completed, it can lead to the incorrect printing of double-sided print jobs. The most commonly made mistake is for the user to individually flip the two test sheets, instead of flipping them together as a unit.
It is therefore desirable to provide a double-sided configuration utility which is capable of providing users with easy configuration procedure.
The present invention uses a printing utility that provides a single test sheet. The printing utility prints the single test sheet twice. After performing the first printing, the printing utility provides the user with instructions for reinserting the test sheet in the printer for the second printing. The printing utility asks questions to the user about the first and second printings. Based on the answers received from the user, the printing utility determines the orientation of pages when they are reinserted for printing the second sides, and the order of processing the second side printing.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing configuration utility for configuring double-sided printing using a single-sided printer. The utility comprises a printing sub-utility, a reinsert instructing sub-utility, an information receiving sub-utility and a determining sub-utility. The printing sub-utility is provided for printing by the printer a single test sheet twice with a first project at the first printing and a second project at the second printing. The first project has a first location mark capable of indicating orientation of the first project, and the second project has a second location mark capable of indicating orientation of the second project. The reinsert instructing sub-utility is provided for instructing a user to reinsert the test sheet in the printer in a predetermined direction. The information receiving sub-utility is provided for receiving from the user printing information regarding the first and second location marks on the test sheet. The determining sub-utility is provided for determining a double-sided printing factor based on the printing information.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for configuring double-sided printing using a single-sided printer. The method starts by printing a first project on a single test sheet. The first project has a first location mark capable of indicating orientation of the first project. A user is instructed to reinsert the test sheet in the printer in a predetermined direction. A second project is printed on the test sheet, the second project having a second location mark capable of indicating orientation of the second project. Printing information is received from the user regarding the first and second location marks on the test sheet. Then, a double-sided printing factor is determined based on the printing information.